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Inside the shop, a look of suspicion passed between Lumine and Paimon. They couldn't help but wonder if this so-called "ordinary manager" was pulling their leg. How could someone who looked so unassuming know exactly where they came from?
"Currently, I have two series on the shelves: One Piece - East Blue Saga and Cardcaptor Sakura Magic Card," Han Feng continued, gesturing toward the nearby bookshelf. "Anyone who finishes a volume is 100% guaranteed to receive a random reward from that story. If you're unfamiliar, manga is simply a book with many illustrations and very few words."
He explained the concept clearly, assuming they would understand since Teyvat had its own light novels. However, the duo remained completely skeptical.
"Rewards just for reading? You're telling us we can actually get stronger by looking at pictures?" Lumine asked. From her experience, power was earned through grueling training or granted by a Vision. If strength could be gained just by sitting on a sofa with a book, this place should have been swarming with the city's most talented fighters.
"Ying, I think this boss is ignoring the obvious. How could something so bizarre be true?" Paimon whispered, floating closer to Lumine's ear.
Han Feng turned his gaze to the floating guide, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Little one, there is a magical item in one of these books called the [Gourmet Tablecloth]. As long as you name a dish you want to eat, it appears out of thin air."
Paimon's mouth practically watered. "Wait, for real? Does that mean I could eat Sweet Flower Medallions whenever I want?" She immediately spun around to Lumine. "Ying, I think the boss is telling the truth!"
Lumine placed her hands on her hips and sighed at her companion's lack of resolve. It was far too easy to bribe Paimon with food. "Boss, what's the catch? How much does it cost?"
"100,000 Mora per person. You can only read one volume a day."
"100,000 Mora?!" Paimon's eyes bulged. "That's a fortune! Think of how many Sticky Honey Roasts we could buy in Mondstadt with that much Mora!"
Han Feng took a slow sip of his tea, his expression remaining flat. "If you want to find your brother, your current strength isn't enough—not even at your peak. Your enemy is formidable."
Lumine froze. The air in the room seemed to sharpen as she leaned forward, her eyes locked on his. "Do you know where my brother is?"
"Travel through the Seven Kingdoms, and you will meet naturally," Han Feng replied softly.
Lumine fell silent, processing his words. This man knew things he shouldn't. He knew about her origin and her search for her sibling. If he was truly that knowledgeable, perhaps the rewards were real as well. She decided it was worth the gamble and produced 200,000 Mora. "Fine. Can we start now?"
"Choose whichever you like from the shelf," Han Feng said, stowing the money. With these first two customers, he had already met the system's criteria for a new comic draw, though he wasn't in a hurry to use it just yet.
Curious, Lumine and Paimon approached the shelf. They noticed the layout was unlike any novel in Teyvat—instead of separate text and illustrations, the images were arranged in grids with dialogue contained in speech bubbles.
"This is actually pretty interesting," Paimon noted, her interest piqued by the visual style. They decided to pick different series so they could share the stories later. Lumine picked up One Piece - East Blue Saga, while Paimon settled on Cardcaptor Sakura Magic Card. They moved to a comfortable sofa and were soon lost in the pages.
Lumine found herself captivated by the journey of Luffy and his crew. The themes of courage and the bond between nakama moved her deeply. However, seeing the crew become wanted criminals made her smile bitterly. She made a mental note to stay under the radar—she was looking for her brother, not looking to have every knight in the Seven Kingdoms chasing her.
Beyond the plot, the "Devil Fruits" caught her attention. These mysterious items granted unique abilities, much like the Visions of this world. "It would be amazing to get a power like that," she muttered. She eventually looked up with a pout, noticing the book had ended. "Boss, why did it stop? What happens after Reverse Mountain?"
"That's all for the East Blue Saga," Han Feng laughed. "You'll have to wait for the system to provide the rest."
"Fine. Then what about my reward?" Lumine asked.
As if in response, a system notification flashed in Han Feng's mind: [Customer has finished reading One Piece - East Blue Saga and obtained the Logia ability: Wind-Wind Fruit.]
A Logia? Lumine's luck is truly incredible, Han Feng thought. The system had even removed the traditional sea-curse weakness, making the reward a perfect combination of offense and defense. A brilliant beam of light suddenly descended from the ceiling, enveloping Lumine.
"Ying! What's happening? Are you okay?" Paimon shrieked in alarm.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Lumine said, feeling a vast, strange power surging through her veins. When the light finally faded, she looked at the shop owner for an explanation.
"This is the Wind-Wind Fruit ability," Han Feng explained. "You can now control the wind and even transform your body into the element itself."
Lumine focused her mind. A whirlwind began to swirl around her, and her body felt lighter than air. Her feet left the floor as she began to float. She realized she could fly now without relying on a Wind Glider and could transform into an intangible form to avoid damage.
"This is incredible!" Lumine exclaimed. "100,000 Mora is a steal for something this powerful!"
Paimon was stunned. She had never seen Lumine do anything like that before. "The rewards are real! They're actually real!" She immediately flew back to her own book, her eyes shining with the hope of getting that [Gourmet Tablecloth].
Lumine smiled and sat back down, deciding to re-read her volume while waiting for Paimon. After another hour, Paimon finally closed her book with a satisfied sigh. She loved the adventures of Sakura and her partner Kero, which reminded her of herself and Lumine. She especially admired Tomoyo's video camera.
"Boss, I didn't see the tablecloth anywhere!" Paimon complained.
"That's in Doraemon, which I don't have in stock yet," Han Feng said.
Paimon looked disappointed until the beam of light descended on her as well. When it cleared, she was holding a sleek, high-definition video camera.
"It's the camera!" Paimon squealed. Han Feng, who had once been a part-time photographer, showed her how to use the device. The system had even modified it to have unlimited battery and memory. Paimon immediately started giggling. "Hehe, I'm going to record all of Ying's battles for my 'Traveler's Journal'!"
"Recording? What are you recording?" Lumine asked suspiciously.
"Nothing!" Paimon hid the camera. "We should go find Amber, we're going to be late!"
The two thanked Han Feng and promised to return soon. After they left, Han Feng checked his system panel. He had received 2/2 customers and could now draw a new comic. "System, draw."
[Extracting... Obtained: Digimon Adventure - Volume 1.]
Han Feng smiled, satisfied with the childhood classic. He headed upstairs to prepare lunch, confident that his business would soon be the talk of Mondstadt.